Seated at a small window table, I watched as classmates, friends, and strangers one-by-one took their place on a makeshift stage. Illuminated by multicolored spotlights, the air was heavy with anticipation and incense. Over the course of a few hours on that warm April night, writers of all varieties stood at the mic and proudly shared their voice.
Originally, when my creative writer professor announced that our class would be attending an open mic poetry event in Lancaster, we were (admittedly) rather miffed. Our attendance would count towards our grade, but the open mic was scheduled for Wednesday nights, when many of us would have other classes, work, projects, appointments, families, or simply sleep to worry about. We were eager to immerse themselves in the local literary scene, but the timing, lack of provided transportation, and pre-existing irritation towards this particular professor was testing us. Nevertheless, we made carpool plans to the best of our abilities, and set out for A Concrete Rose at 910 South Duke Street in Lancaster, PA.
Started in 2022 by married couple Evita Colon (Lancaster City’s first Poet Laureate and owner/founder of Speak to My Soul LLC. and BLK Voices Magazine) and Solise Alisa White (owner/founder of Soul Kharisma Dance Fitness and Creative Chief Officer/Head Choreographer of Speak to My Soul LLC.), A Concrete Rose is a combination wine brewery, tapas bar, bookstore, and event space highlighting the African diaspora. Taking its name from Tupac’s poetry book, The Rose That Grew From Concrete (1999), A Concrete Rose is hands down one of my favorite places in Lancaster City.
I think that many folks trying to imagine a wine bar that hosts poetry readings may think of stuffy, pretentious, and exclusive environments. But upon arriving for the first time, A Concrete Rose was warm and bright, filled from wall to wall with some of the kindest, most supportive, and most creative people I’d ever met. Delicious food and drinks covered tables as everyone took their turns to perform, chatter echoed in between sets, and enthusiastic applause followed. Creatives of all ages, backgrounds, and skill levels shared their experiences and identity, whether it had to do with race, religion, queerness, gender, passions, disability, or family. Some sang, some performed spoken word, some played instruments, and everyone fed into the energy.
Honestly, I barely remember my few minutes on the stage. It was my first open mic event, my first time sharing my poetry with a public audience that I was almost completely unfamiliar with, and my first time sharing a poem so deeply personal that it made me insecure to read aloud. Much of my time at the mic is a blur from the nerves, but I do remember a few things very distinctly:
A woman in the audience yelling “I LOVE THAT!!! YES!!!” during the final stanza.
Two men giving me a fist bump as I returned to my seat.
Someone telling me I did great as I left that night.
I don’t remember much of my short time in the spotlight, but I do remember the kindness of the audience and the invigorating experience of listening to others share the deepest parts of themselves. I remember revisiting several months later to watch a Halloween drag show and other attendees complimenting my costume. I remember the joy, excitement, and overwhelming sense of community.
This week, the official Instagram account for A Concrete Rose posted an upsetting update: After June 12th, 2024, the doors to A Concrete Rose will close permanently at its current location. I’ve been wanting to write about A Concrete Rose since I began working on this blog, and frankly I’m ashamed of myself for not completing a post before its closure. However, because of how much this place means to Lancaster’s community, I encourage my dear readers to please donate directly to A Concrete Rose, and follow them on Instagram to show your support. I am forever grateful I had the chance to visit when I could. To Evita and Solise, thank you for everything you've done and the space you provided the community. Wherever the seed lands, the rose will grow again.
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